Sept. 7th, 2006. Never forget.

**Divinus Arma** · 09-11-2006, 03:36

I saw tool with rage against the machine at lalapalooza about seven years ago. There were other bands, but I spent most of the concert drunk on my back in the grass. Fortunately, I had a lookout to ensure I wouldn't be stepped on.

Tool was good, as was rage. I have to admit. This new Tool album is special. Song number 5 ( I think. The one all over the radio) is some soulfull stuff. The one that goes like: who are you to wag your finger, etc... Great album.

Edit: I just noticed that wonderland used the word "special" in the post before mine. I didn;t even red his post. I can't think of a better word. Unique doesn't cut it. Nor does great or spectacular. In fact, this is one of the few times I have found a use for the word "special" without referring to nature's clowns.

**Sasaki Kojiro** · 09-11-2006, 03:49

Originally Posted by Divinus Arma

Tool was good, as was rage. I have to admit. This new Tool album is special. Song number 5 ( I think. The one all over the radio) is some soulfull stuff. The one that goes like: who are you to wag your finger, etc... Great album.

Ah, cool! I hear all these songs I like on the radio but can never remember the lyrics when I get home. So that was tool huh.

**doc_bean** · 09-11-2006, 09:09

Originally Posted by Divinus Arma

This new Tool album is special. Song number 5 ( I think. The one all over the radio) is some soulfull stuff. The one that goes like: who are you to wag your finger, etc... Great album.

Hmm I might have to check it out then. I was a huge Tool fan back in the Aenima days, but Lateralus was a huge disappointment to me...

**L'Impresario** · 09-11-2006, 10:22

Hmm I might have to check it out then. I was a huge Tool fan back in the Aenima days, but Lateralus was a huge disappointment to me...

Blasphemy!!!
...well, the general consensus agrees that Lateralus is their magnum opus but it's reasonable for a few dissidents to prefer the "rawer" Aenima. I just find Lateralus more "challenging" in so many ways, really deep stuff.

**doc_bean** · 09-11-2006, 10:36

Originally Posted by L'Impresario

Blasphemy!!!
...well, the general consensus agrees that Lateralus is their magnum opus but it's reasonable for a few dissidents to prefer the "rawer" Aenima. I just find Lateralus more "challenging" in so many ways, really deep stuff.

I found Lateralus to be more of a stylistic exercise, admittedly in a style they themselves created. It lacked the emotional depth of Aenima (Stinkfist ! Eulogy ! Pushit !) but lyrically and musically. Several songs felt 'drawn out' for no apparent reason, while on Aenima every song just took as much time as it needed. Lyrics about spirals and parabols and all that don't interest me that much either.
From Opiate to Aenima I felt there was a fast progression with their music, every album was a revolution (granted that only makes for two revolutions) while Lateralus felt a lot like an Aenima two (but without the emotional depth). Now you have the 'typical Tool sound' something that wouldn't have been said back in the day because you were wondering what their sound would change into next.

No, Aenima is their peak, it combines their raw talent with ambition, a strong drive and emotion. With many artists there comes a time when they've 'perfected' their craft, technically they are much better than when they started, but the result isn't often their most interesting work since it just lacks that 'need' to make art. But that's just my

BTW I don't know what the deal is with the Tool community now, but back in the day there was still a minority that preferred Undertow to Aenima (and later Lateralus), this led me to believe that for most people, the first Tool album they really get into will always be their favourite...

**L'Impresario** · 09-11-2006, 11:39

I don't actually find Lateralus "a stylistic exercise", it's pretty obvious ofcourse it's less commercially oriented, even though "catchpenny" and "Tool" are words a bit hard to combine in one sentence heh

When you deliver "hard sound", you don't necessarily have to inject frustration, rage etc, although there's certainly a fair deal of that as well. In Lateralus you have an album which takes their artistic vision further, both musically/technically and conceptually. Because it's more complex, it requires more effort from the listener and in time it grows on you at more levels. Don't discard their lyrics as talking about "spirals" and "parabols" heh The work is an amazing feat of combining word and sound, has multiple readings and the way each part complement the other is staggering. They also weave symbols into their work like a Dan Brown junkie (yes, I know, this is an undeserved insult but it makes up with graphical content) and know their stuff profoundly.
This is not simple flirting with mysticism/math rock/prog rock etc. Accusations of pretentiousness are irrelevant when taking into account the scope and vision of such a masterpiece. I don't like labels and characterisations but I have to say that it's a mature work of solemn (meta?)spirituality with a strange aroma of incense, remaining incensed but sacrifising much of this anger for a chance at lucidity. And the music is always moving in those damned hypnotic cycles, like a devilish dervish. I must admit that sometimes listening to the album scares me and each time I push "play" I don't know what'll happen next (the only other album that has such an effect on me is Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven, by GYBE).

**drone** · 09-11-2006, 16:49

Tool is showing up in DC on September 30th. I really would like to see them, but it's just not going to happen, too much other stuff going on.

I always preferred Aenima to Lateralus. It definitely had a rawer feel. If "Hooker with a Penis" wasn't one of my favorite songs, I would have said that they sold out with Lateralus.

It just feels more mainstream. 10,000 Days seems like an extension to the Lateralus style, but I think they did a better job with it and have just about burned the bits off the CD since I got it. Technically, it's one of the best albums I've heard. Listen to it with decent headphones for best effect (throw in drug of choice if that's how you like it...).

**Kanaric** · 09-11-2006, 18:58

Tool is godlike, everyone i know around where i live thinks they kick ass.

**doc_bean** · 09-13-2006, 07:55

Originally Posted by drone

I always preferred Aenima to Lateralus. It definitely had a rawer feel. If "Hooker with a Penis" wasn't one of my favorite songs, I would have said that they sold out with Lateralus.

It just feels more mainstream.

Aww, come on, neither Aenima or Lateralus can be called commercial, neither are easy albums, both contain songs which last far longer than the average person's attention span !
I understand screaming sell outs to bands selling their music to coca cola, or to bands which just follow hypes, but it's soooo overused...